Stargazing in Sennen Cove

There is something about star gazing that enchants and amazes us. However, it is increasingly difficult to see the night sky in towns and cities due to light pollution; it can be a struggle to find somewhere to lie back or look up and enjoy the splendour of a starlit sky. 

Go to Cornwall, and you are in for a treat. On most evenings, you can wander outside your Vallendreath cottage and enjoy a sky lit with stars and planets. As a rule of thumb, if it doesn’t sparkle or twinkle, it’s a planet. The reason being as the stars are so far away, our atmosphere disrupts how we see them.

When Is The Best Time For Stargazing In Sennen Cove

Summer is not the best time due to the long summer days, but if you wait for the hours of darkness, your reward is a lovely starlit night sky. Head to Sennen Cove any time, but the best times to stargaze are between February and September. Then you will have the pleasure of dark skies and far too many stars to count. Plus, you don’t have to have any equipment to enjoy the fascinating night sky above Cornwall. If you want, you can bring some binoculars to see the stars better, and if you have a portable telescope, even better, especially if you can planet ho pop with it!!

Best Circumstances For Optimum Stargazing

• A clear sky - no rain, so always a good idea to check out the forecast.
• Before the New Moon is in the sky, during and soon after it appears are the best viewing times. Then there is no bright full moon to obscure the stars and planets.
• When the sun has set below the horizon, this is so twilight will not interfere with your observations.
• Downloading one of the many apps on Stargazing to know what you are looking at makes it much more fun. Star Walk 2, SkyView and Night Skies are good, and you can download them to Android or iPhone. This dark skies calendar is also a helpful tool.

Why Is Sennen Cove A Good Spot For Stargazing?

You can sit outside your cottage at Vallandreath and observe the stars while sipping your favourite beverage. Or you can wander the few hundred steps to the beach and lie out on the sand dunes, quite a romantic occupation, but also great to do with kids. Don’t forget a picnic rug to lie on and a glass of wine!

If you want to wander further afield, then there are some great locations for budding astronomers not too far to drive.

The very best sites are known as Dark Sky Discover sites, this designation is awarded by the STFC (Science and Technology Facilities Council), And Cornwall has two of them. For a site to receive this designation, the places must be accessible and free from enough light pollution to view the Milky Way.

One designated Dark Sky Park is at Penwith, around a 20-minute drive by car and 1hr 25 by public transport from Vallendreath Cottages. An excellent place for astrophotographers.

The second Dark Skies is section 12 on Bodmin Moor, which is 68 miles from Sennen Cove, around a 1 hr 50 min drive.

What Can You See In The Skies From Cornwall? 

As the seasons change and the world turns, we get different views of the spectacular stars and planets. Before you come to Cornwall, obtain an Almanac or the Night Sky App to know what to expect and what you a gazing at; then, you can have fun finding the constellations that make up the Zodiac signs. Go Stargazing often arranges stargazing tours on the site and has plenty of info on other local places to stargaze within a 50-mile radius. 

The Milky Way

Everyone wants to see the spectacular Milky Way. With a clear night sky in Cornwall, you can view this band of light with approximately 100 billion stars as it transverses the sky. It really is a magical sight.

Planets

You can see most planets, but Neptune with your naked eyes—plus a planet app for total beginners—Saturn and those fascinating rings are also visible, but a telescope is needed. 

Orion Nebula 

This spectacular cosmic collection of new stars, gas and dust is an awe-inspiring experience. If you are lucky, it can be viewed in the dark Cornish skies with the naked eye. Otherwise, a telescope is needed.

Late availability offers

We have some great late availability offers for cottages at Vellandreath Cornish Cottages: